Discovering Rose

Chapter 13

I couldn't sleep that night. Hardly surprising, seeing what had happened with Zed. Arrogant jerk. He couldn't just expect me to fall into his arms like a frail damsel when he declared I was his. How obnoxious. And what was he on about with all that soulfinder stuff? And what the hell was a savant?
I got out of bed and pulled on a jumper. Slowly, I trailed my finger along the keyboard, each note crystal clear in my head. It was then that I got the feeling I was being watched. Nervous now, I came closer to the window. Taking a deep breath, I drew back the curtain.
"Geez!" I found myself face to face with Zed, literally biting my tongue to stop myself from screaming, heart pounding fast. He had climbed up the old tree leaning into my room.
"What do you think you're doing?" I hissed. "Go away!"
"Let me in." He looked around for a way past me.
"Get down," I said, starting to panic. I started to think about calling Nick, when Zed spoke again.
"No, don't call you dad. I have to talk to you."
"Get out of my tree!"
"Rose, when were you going to tell me you're a savant?"
I debated whether or not to slam the window shut on this ironical Romeo and Juliet scene.
"How can I answer that when I have no idea what you are talking about?" I fumed.
"You heard me speaking to you. You spoke back to me."

'You replied to me'. He was doing it again. Telepathy. No, no, he couldn't be, that was impossible. I was imagining things.

"I don't understand what you're talking about."
"You're a savant, Rose. You can do things that other people can't." He looked deep into my eyes. "You're my soulfinder."
"Bye Zed. We can talk about this some other time." Never, I meant. I made a move to close the window, but he stopped me.
"You won't even listen to me?"
"Why should I?"
"Because you're my soulfinder."
"Stop talking about soulfinders! I have no idea what this is all about, I don't understand you at all. You're cold, rude, obnoxious and arrogant and it seems like you really don't like me, so maybe this is, I dunno, some new joke of yours that you can laugh about."
"So that's what you think of me?" His eyes hardened and he folded his arms.
"Pretty much."
"You really don't like me, do you?" he gave a short, hollow laugh, his eyes darkened. "Great, my soulfinder thinks I'm a moron and doesn't even understand anything about me."
"What's there to understand? Morons are pretty easy to read."
He tensed slightly, and I took a discreet step back.
"Rose-" he made a move towards me, but I stepped back.
"Get out now."
To my surprise, he obliged. "OK. But this isn't over, Rose. We need to talk." And he jumped down into darkness. I slammed the window shut and leapt into my bed, pulling the duvet up around me. What was going on?